The Ranger's Way
by Ant0006
Summary: When renowned Ranger Will catches Melodie pick pocketing in the Redmont market, she is first worried. But then he invites her to join the mysterious and exclusive ranks of the rangers. But learning how to shoot and fight with knives may be hopeless in light of the challenges that she has to overcome. But when it comes down to a choice, does Melodie really want to leave the rangers?


**A/N: Hello everyone! I recently revisited the Ranger's Apprentice series's, and this idea was born. Yes, I know that all Rangers are male, and I'm not writing this because I want her to be the whole first female ranger thing. I'm doing it because I can write better in a girl perspective, and I would like to write the best that I can!**

**-Ant0006**

* * *

Will looked about the busy market place, a habit drilled into him through all his years of training as a ranger. It wasn't likely that anything out of the ordinary was going to happen in the market, but, as he had learned all too well over the years, it payed to keep your eyes open, and your ears pricked.

As he skimmed over the crowd, bustling away in the usual morning haggling and buying, he felt a surge of affection for his town. He had spent his apprentice years here, and though through the years later he travelled to a great number of places, his heart always was with Redmont.

The line moved up, and he sighed a bit, and shifted under his mottled cloak. He knew all he could do was lift back the hood, and probably the entire line would move back to let him through, but he didn't want to do that, though he wanted the line to go a tad quicker. Privately Will thought that his achievements didn't warrant the gossip and superstitions about him. Will didn't like being renowned for something he didn't do, and that got particularly annoying when beliefs were that he was six feet tall, built like a mountain and could face an army on his own.

In truth, Will was a little under average height, had a slim, wiry build and though was an accomplished warrior, could not beat an army by himself. The queue finally shortened, and he approached the stall lady.

"Ranger Will," she said, her eyes widening slightly. He suppressed a sigh, and told her all the various ingredients he needed to keep him afloat for another week.

"Seven pennies for you, Ranger," she said, and Will smiled, while shaking his head a little.

"I'm not going to cheat you out of your money," he said, and passed her a gold piece. She looked down at it in awe.

"Ranger!" she said, looking at the piece which was obviously far too much for the vegetables. "You've given me-" But Will was already walking away, humming to himself quietly. There was his good deed for the day.

He scanned the busy market place, and frowned. What was that? He saw a flicker of movement. It in keeping with the sprawling movement of the people in the marketplace. There it was again.

* * *

Melodie snuck through the market. It was perfect conditions - busy and everyone seemed to be in a particularly careless mood. She moved through the crowd, imitating the without a care leisurely walk that seemed to be common among the other folk. She felt her stomach growling and pushed the thought of food aside. Work first, and food later.

She walked casually through the market, tailing a man who looked like he had money to be stolen. In a practised, fluid motion, she carefully reached out to the purse that he had dangling ever so temptingly from a string. Pulling a pocket knife out of her pocket, she cut the string carefully, and caught the purse as it fell. She tied a small rock to the string so he didn't notice anything was missing.

It went on in the same pattern. She stole purse and wallet one after the other. It was a particularly good day for business, and soon her pockets were weighted down with the small leather pouches that simpler folk used to carry their money in.

Going over to a small that sold freshly baked loaves, she paid for a small one out of her newly stolen money. She sat on a small rock that marked the boundaries between two market stalls. She tore into the loaf, and devoured it quickly. For a while, she looked about the busy market place. The hot loaf sitting in her stomach had made her feel slightly drowsy, but she was still alert for any trouble.

Walking about, she bought a few reels of material, looking down at her raggedy clothes which were patched up in several places, and we're covered in dirt. She definitely needed new ones.

Suddenly she heard an angry shout. She looked up, and winced. The first man she had stolen from had discovered that all that hung from his string was a small, worthless rock. He looked about, and his eyes alighted on Melodie. He gave an unintelligible shout, and started towards her.

Melodie sprung up from the rocks, and started to swiftly dash through the crowd, much more agile and lighter footed than the man. She expertly navigated the crowd, not averse to some pushing and shoving. She had never yet been caught stealing, and she wasn't eager to find out what happened. At worse, she could even be hanged.

She heard more shouts as other people joined in the chase. She ran, dodging a few stones that had been thrown to steer her off track. She entered a particularly thick part of the crowd, and strolled about in it as if she had nothing to hide. As she had anticipated, the angry shouts died down as they looked through the crowd for her. She allowed herself a smirk as she congratulated herself silently.

She spent a good while in the crowd, making sure they had completely given up, before exiting. She strode about a bit more, feeling the weight of a few extra purses she had managed to rob while she was in the thick crowd. She felt almost contemptuous towards the other villagers. They were so careless with their belongings, it was like they wanted her to steal their stuff.

She thought jubilantly of the reactions of the other pickpockets she loved with. They would be seething with envy at all the stuff she had gotten, she would have to be extra sneaky about where she hid her loot. It just wouldn't do to have her hard earned property stolen by another thief. That was the lowest of the low. For a thief to be stolen from by another thief.

She dropped her guard as she walked, and was thus surprised to feel a heavy hand clamp down on her shoulder. Freezing up, she turned around slowly, and gulped.

There, standing before her, was the ranger Will, one of Araluen's finest archers. There were whisperings in the village people that they practised in black magic and sorcery, but Melodie didn't believe in foolish things like that. However, everyone had heard of Will's accomplishments and she tensed. She highly doubted he would let her off with a slap on the wrist, and she desperately hoped that he hadn't caught her because he thought she was a pickpocket.

But, the steely glare in his eyes told her only too well that he knew exactly what she was doing.

* * *

**Read and Review please? How'd you like it so far?**


End file.
